Maya
Maya Fallegeros is a playable female character who was first introduced in the 1996 arcade game Killer Instinct 2. An Amazon queen who hails from South America's rain forests, in Killer Instinct (2013) she is the last remaining member of a secretive cabal of monster hunters known as the Night Guard. Maya made her second debut as a playable character in the Season Two of Killer Instinct (2013), and was given a fraternal twin in Season Three through the new character Mira. Maya became the first of the original Killer Instinct 2 cast to be reintroduced to the franchise after twenty years, and was made available in KI 2013 on October 15th, 2015. Biography Appearance In Killer Instinct 2, Maya appears as a South American Amazon with blond hair, who wears leopard-skin gloves, greaves, skirt, and a bra, and has several leather strings with pouches on her thighs. She also wears a bejeweled silver circlet on her forehead, and wields two wide-bladed steel daggers. Maya's appearance received a significant overhaul for Killer Instinct 2013. She no longer wears her leopard-skin clothing and instead dons an Incan-style golden armor set, consisting of a chest piece, shoulder guards, gauntlets, greaves, and boots. She has become noticeably taller, her skin tone is slightly darker than before, and her hair is longer; now worn in tightly woven braids down her back. She also features a twisting burn mark running up her left leg, given to her courtesy of Cinder. Maya's new twin daggers, the golden blades called Temperance and Vengeance, are ancient Egyptian relics that represent light & shadow, and were confiscated from the mad sorcerer Kan-Ra. Maya's retro costume largely mirrors her KI2 outfit, but with some notable differences: The leather strings around her thighs are replaced by golden snake ornaments (similar to her KI2 early design) which she also wears on her shins, forearms, and chest, and she now features a golden belt and circlet which both have a large emerald gem etched into them. Her hair is much shorter, but it retains the braids of her default appearance, and she wears golden snake-themed earrings. She still keeps Temperance and Vengeance from her default 2013 costume, rather than her original wide-bladed steel daggers. Personality Maya is a formidable young Amazon who stalks her enemies like a jungle huntress. She will never hesitate to act when confronted with danger, can be stouthearted to the point of recklessness, and is known for referring to her foes as her "prey". Because of the forbidden blades that Maya was forced to take up in self-defense, the twin daggers known as "Temperance" and "Vengeance", a grand struggle between light and darkness is waged inside her soul. ] Vengeance is constantly provoking Maya's most ruthless side, urging her to butcher any who are standing in her way, while Temperance always entreats her heroic greatheartedness; buffering the dark temptation Vengeance elicits and preventing Maya from losing control over her passion. Wielding only one of the magical daggers can have an adverse effect on her psyche, especially when she only holds Vengeance, and so Maya tries to have both on hand at all times; to even out the cosmic opposites the blades embody. As Temperance and Vengeance exert their influence with perfect balance, it is their wielder's own disposition towards good or evil that determines which dagger will gain the upper hand. The ancient artifacts are therefore notorious for always revealing the true nature of those wielding their tremendous powers. Abilities & Powers Maya has the body of a champion athlete and she boasts the dexterity of an acrobat to match. Moving deftly across the battlefield with Temperance and Vengeance at the ready, her agility allows her to evade opponents with ease, only to close in without warning and tear them to shreds in a whirlwind of steel when the opening presents itself. In KI 2013, she can also hurl Temperance and Vengeance at her enemies as magical projectiles, causing the daggers to accumulate mystical powers that increases their attack strength and enables them to break through any foe's defenses. Maya also may link the twin blades together by their hilts, turning them into a powerful double-bladed weapon called "Enmity" that is twice as dangerous. Temperance and Vengeance also have telepathically linked Maya to Kan-Ra, the nefarious sorcerer who has brought the golden daggers with him from ancient Egypt, allowing the two enemies to keep track of each other by experiencing visions about one another. As the daughter to one of the original Night Guard's most esteemed hunters, Maya has also been well-trained in a variety of Brazilian martial arts and ancient Incan combat tactics, which is seen most noticeably in the swiftness and power of her legwork as well as her predator-style fighting techniques. Killer Instinct 2 Story Made queen of the land of Amazonia after her part in banishing the dark lord Gargos. Cast out by her tribe as Gargos returns, Maya must vanquish him to regain her throne. Extended Story The return of the tyrannical Gargos to the ancient world is welcomed by few. Among his foremost adversaries are the Amazons of the great jungle, whose recently-crowned Queen, Maya, earned great respect for her part in the original banishment of the demonic warlords. Now that one of them has returned to lay his curse on the world, Maya's tribes folk cast her from the realm. Until the threat is permanently dealt with, she is forbidden to return. Endings '' (1996)]] Kill Tusk Maya saves her home land from Gargos. Life in the rain forest can proceed as normal. Triumphant, Maya returns home on her own to the jungle realm of Amazonia. The enchantments of the queen keep the tribe well defended, and although lonely, she rules well. Don't Kill Tusk ]] Maya saves her home land from Gargos. Life in the rain forest can proceed as normal. The threat has been destroyed, and Maya has earned a new admirer she quite takes a fancy to... The two are soon married, and with the protection of Maya's goddess, their reign is a long and peaceful one. Stage Moveset Command Moves *''Mantis'': Back, Forward, Fierce Punch Opener *''Savage Blades'': Back, Forward, Medium Punch Opener *''Flip Kick'': Back, Forward, Medium Kick Opener *''Air Mantis'': (In Air) Forward, Back, Fierce Punch Opener *''Jungle Leap'': Back, Forward, Fierce Kick Opener *''Savage Leap'': Back, Forward, Quick Kick Opener *''Cobra Bite'': Back, Forward, Quick Punch *''Air Double'': Forward, Back, Any Kick *''Throw'': Forward, Fierce Punch *''Reverse Throw'': Back, Fierce Punch An Opponent's Throw *''Parry Move'': Back, Hold Quick Punch *''Pressure Move'': Forward, Fierce Kick Special Moves *''Combo Breaker'': Back, Forward, Any Punch And Any Kick *''Ultra Combo Breaker'': Forward, Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Back, Forward, Fierce Kick 6 Super Bar Blocks Super Moves *''Super Flip Kick'': Forward, Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Back, Forward, Medium Kick 3 Super Bar Blocks *''Super Savage Blades'': Forward, Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Back, Forward, Medium Punch 3 Super Bar Blocks *''Shadow Move'': Forward, Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Back, Forward, Fierce Punch 3 Super Bar Blocks *''Super Jungle Leap'': Forward, Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Back, Forward, Fierce Kick 6 Super Bar Blocks End Specials *''End Special 1'': Back, Forward, Quick Punch, Quick Punch *''End Special 2'': Back, Forward, Fierce Punch, Fierce Punch *''End Special 3'': Back, Forward, Fierce Kick, Fierce Kick *''End Special 4'': Back, Forward, Quick Kick, Quick Kick *''End Special 5'': Forward, Back, Quick Punch First 4 Enders Finishing Moves *''Mini-Ultra Combo: Forward, Back, Fierce Punch *''Ultra Combo: Forward, Back, Fierce Kick *''Ultimate Combo: Forward, Quarter Forward, Down, Quarter Back, Back, Forward, Quick Kick *''0-Combo Ultimate: Back, Quarter Back, Down, Quarter Forward, Forward, Back, Quick Punch *''Ultra Combo'': (Hold Back) Front, Fierce Kick *''Ultimate Combo|Ultimate 1'': Half Circle Front, Low Punch - Maya hits her opponent with a beam of red light coming from the ruby in her diadem, shrinking them down to the size of an ant *''Ultimate 2'': Half Circle Back, Low Kick - An elephant drops on top of Maya's opponent Killer Instinct (2013) ]] Maya was the 2nd character to be released for the Season Two of ''Killer Instinct (2013), and became the first of the original Killer Instinct 2 cast to be reintroduced to the franchise after twenty years. Story A headstrong warrior with a will of steel, in battle Maya can always be found on the front lines charging in with her daggers, Temperance and Vengeance. When Ultratech raids the hidden temple of the Night Guard and begins to loot the dangerous artifacts that were sealed within, Maya takes up the golden daggers known as Temperance and Vengeance, the ancient blades of the mad sorcerer Kan-Ra, and sets out to destroy the horrors Ultratech again unleashed unto the world. Extended Story Temperance & Vengeance: ''' Novella '''Chapter 6 — Shadows at Dawn: Shadow Lords Guard Duty (1/2) - before fighting Mira It is Maya's sworn duty to protect the world from the many horrors lurking beneath its shadows. The Night Guard have been busy of late, aiding the Alliance and hunting horrors that attempt to capitalize on the distraction the war has caused. For several months, rumors have surfaced of a new horror plaguing villages across the globe. Locals have been known to call her the "blood-witch". (Mira appears before Maya, and the sisters bitterly confront each other.) (2/2) - after fighting Mira Evil has been abolished in this corner of the Earth, and Maya can return to the Citadel knowing she has done her part. The "blood-witch" Mira has been slain. Though Maya's heart weighs heavy, she knows she has put an end to a great evil. Stage background stage (KI 2013)]] The City of Dawn is a high resolution remake of Maya's Killer Instinct 2 stage, Jungle. When an Ultra Combo is performed in City of Dawn, lightning begins to strike the Mesoamerican pyramids and the dam causing them to explode and leaving them in ruins. Moveset Temperance and Vengeance: Maya possesses two daggers; a light-based one known as Temperance and a shadow-based one called Vengeance. She can throw either of these daggers, even in combos. However these daggers, when thrown, will not immediately return to her. If an opponent blocks or gets hit by one of her daggers, it will bounce off of them after which Maya can catch them mid-air. If Maya is too far away or she misses the throw completely, however, then she will have to manually pick the daggers back up from where they landed on the ground. In a mirror match, the daggers will be marked with an icon to show which player they belong to. Combo Trait - Dagger Linkers: If Maya is close enough in the combo, she can throw a dagger as a linker. Instinct Mode - Possession Rite: Temperance and Vengeance always return to Maya when she throws them, and both will immediately return to her grasp upon activation of Maya's Instinct Mode, even if they were on the ground. *''Missing Daggers'' - If Maya is missing a dagger, that button will trigger a kick of the same strength. *''Charging The Blades'' - Earn magical charges by forcing your opponent to block individual dagger strikes. Use Enmity Strike to spend all available charges. *''Temperance (Charge 1)'' - Spent when using Enmity Strike. Adds ricochet ability to the projectile. *''Temperance (Charge 2)'' - Spent when using Enmity Strike. Adds homing ability to the projectile. *''Vengeance (Charge 1)'' - Spent when using Enmity Strike. Adds durability to the projectile (can pass through and destroy other projectiles). *''Vengeance (Charge 2)'' - Spent when using Enmity Strike. Projectile becomes invulnerable. Command Moves *''Mantis Dive''-''(Down+HP, in air Requires both Daggers)'' - Maya attempts to tackle her opponent, daggers first, with his aggressive air grab. Can cash out damage if a breakable window occurred Cannot be performed while jumping back. *''Axe Kick''-''(Forward+HK)'' - Maya leaps into the air with an acrobatic series of somersaults and strikes the opponent with an overhead attack. This move is low invulnerable and recaptures opponents. *''Axe Kick Fakeout''-''(Forward+HK, hold)'' - Maya leaps into the air with an acrobatic series of somersaults, then lands without attacking. This move is low invulnerable. *''Dagger Pickup''-''(3P)'' - Maya picks up any nearby fallen daggers *''Savage Strikes''-''(Back+HP, requires both daggers)'' - A swift series of dagger strikes. *''Preying Mantis''-''(Down+MP, MP)'' - Maya performs two swipes with her dagger. Chain cannot be performed on whiff. *''Hunter Dash''- (Forward, Forward) - Maya rolls forward to retrieve daggers. Can pass under high fireballs. Press Up to cancel into a jump P to follow up with a dagger strike or HK for an Axe Kick with extra distance. *''Back Dash''-''(Back, Back)'' - Maya flips backward. Can retrieve daggers. *''Throw Forward''-''(LP+LK)'' -Maya grabs and strikes the opponent. Deals additional damage for each held dagger. *''Throw Backward''-''(Back+LP+LK)'' - Maya grabs the opponent, turns them around and strikes them. Deals additional damage for each held dagger. Shadow Attacks *''Shadow Spirit Slicer'' *''Shadow Tumble Kick'' *''Shadow Leap Kick'' "Pack One", released on February 14th, 2017 (Valentine's Day)]] Special Moves *''Tumble Kick'' *''Leap Kick'' *''Temperance Strike'' *''Vengeance Strike'' *''Enmity Strike'' Combo Openers *''Tumble Kick'' *''Axe Kick'' *''Temperance Strike'' *''Vengeance Strike'' *''Enmity Strike'' *''Shadow Spirit Slicer'' *''Shadow Tumble Kick'' Combo Linkers *''Tumble Kick'' *''Leap Kick'' *''Temperance Strike'' *''Vengeance Strike'' *''Shadow Leap Kick'' *''Shadow Tumble Kick'' Combo Enders *''Spirit Strike Ender'' *''Tumble Kick Ender'' *''Leap Kick Ender'' Ultra Combo * 41 Hits Ultimate Combo * Maya backflips away from her defeated opponent, and Temperance and Vengeance suddenly fly out of her hands. The twin daggers dash towards her opponent on their own and begin to slash them repeatedly, and then they merge into the "Enmity" blade. Maya leaps high into the air while Enmity slashes her victim, stunning them and causing them to stumble forward. Enmity then separates again into Temperance and Vengeance, and the twin daggers levitate underneath the victim's bowed head; with both their tips pointing upward at their face. Maya drops down onto her opponent's neck and shoulders, causing their head to be smashed straight into Temperance and Vengeance's blades, killing them instantly. The twin daggers then return to Maya's grasp. Gallery - KI2013 = Killer Instinct (2013) Mayareturns.gif|The jungle queen returns Maya 5.png|"Tall and strong-looking, with a pretty oval face, and long braids"—Maya's render in KI 2013 Maya Emblem2 Wallpaper 1920x1080-1.jpg|Maya's emblem, featuring Temperance & Vengeance Twindaggersmaya.gif|The Great Hunt has begun Maya Wallpaper 1920x1080-1.jpg|''"Watch out. You might get cut."'' Temperanceprominent.gif|''"You're not worthy prey!"'' 15_maya.jpg|New & old Maya retro costume.png|Maya's default retro costume Mayacomparison2.jpg|Old & new maya-temperance-and-vengeance.png|Temperance (left hand) and Vengeance (right hand) MayaRetroUrban.png|Maya's retro costume - urban/biker chick Mayadaggerassault.jpg|Temperance & Vengeance linked together into the "Enmity" weapon Mayaingamemodel.jpg|Maya's new in-game model (XBox and PC) KIvalentine.jpg|An old flame that kept on burnin'... (Microsoft's KI art for Valentine's Day 2017) 27 omenmaya.jpg|Hunting the demons of Gargos with plenty of swagger My first killer instinct image by athenaasa-da3r865.png|Reunited with her fraternal twin... Image (13).png|...for as long as it lasted Killer_Instinct_Season_2_-_Hisako_Loading_Screen_5.png|Maya's first encounter with Hisako Maya Screenshot 1.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 1 Maya Screenshot 2.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 2 Maya Screenshot 3.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 3 Maya Screenshot 4.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 4 Maya Screenshot 5.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 5 Maya Screenshot 6.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 6 Maya Screenshot 7.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 7 Maya Screenshot 8.png|Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Screenshot 8 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 1.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 1 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 2.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 2 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 3.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 3 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 4.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 4 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 5.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 5 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 6.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 6 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 7.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 7 Killer Instinct Season 2 - Maya Loading Screen 8.png|Maya's Story Mode Loading Screen 8 Maya - City of Dawn.png|Maya in her new City of Dawn stage Mayawallpaper.jpg|Hi-res wallpaper of Maya Mayaprofile.jpg|Maya's in-game profile (KI 2013) Goldpack.jpg|As part of the "Gold Pack" with Jago and Kim Wu Maya Mimic Skin in retro costume.PNG|Maya's Mimic skin in her retro costume Maya Stage Ultra Pose.png|Stills from Maya's first Stage Ultra victory pose Mayastageultra.jpg Maya Stage Ultra Pose 2.png|Maya's second Stage Ultra victory pose MayaUltimate.jpg|Maya's new Ultimate Combo in KI 2013 Mayaultimate.jpg|No elephant this time }} Quotes Trivia *During her first reveal for Killer Instinct (2013), Iron Galaxy described Maya as "Incan inspired" and "of Latin origin", and succinctly characterized her as a "warrior, hunter, badass" and a "monster hunter extraordinaire". *Maya's new music theme for KI 2013, titled "Temperance & Vengeance" after the eponymous set of twin daggers, is a vocalized remix of her classic Killer Instinct 2 theme called "Jungle". It was composed by Mick Gordon and features the vocals of Ali Edwards. *The Killer Instinct Novella mentions that Maya's native language is Portuguese, verifying that she and her fraternal twin Mira are of a Pardo Brazilian background. Mira's backstory also reveals that both sisters have the motto of their family, "Sangue do Meu Sangue" (Portuguese for "Blood of My Blood"), tattooed "somewhere" on their bodies. **In a twist of irony, Mira was given the same body measurements in Killer Instinct (2013) that Maya had in Killer Instinct 2. Another twist is that even though Maya takes more after the Fallegeros' African ancestry than Mira does, she's the only one with the natural blond hair and blue eyes of their family's European stock. *Maya's victory cinematic in KI 2013 shows her on the verge of slaying her foe in cold blood, but she restrains herself. This is an in-game reference to her story, which mentions that her magical blades, Temperance & Vengeance, war for control of her heart; with Vengeance inciting Maya to bloodlust and Temperance urging her to show moderation. Maya's ability to resist Vengeance's temptations reveals that Temperance has greater sway over her. **This is illustrated by the final screenshot of Maya's victory pose, which shows Temperance's light shining brilliantly and Vengeance's shadows receding into the background. This causes the daggers to uncover that Maya has a righteous and just soul. **Temperance & Vengeance, the twin ceremonial blades dating to the age of ancient Egypt's religion, are "weighing the heart" of whoever holds them; thereby exposing their wielder's true character to the world. This implies that these artifacts are connected to the ancient Egyptian goddess Ma'at. *The large burn mark visible on Maya's left leg was caused by Cinder, during the same Ultratech raid on the City of Dawn which forced her to take up Temperance and Vengeance. *On April 9th 2017, former KI designer Kevin Bayliss posted his original 1995 concept artwork of Maya on his Twitter account (which he took down the same day). It showed a design largely identical to Maya's final appearance in Killer Instinct 2, except that her attire was made of snakeskin rather than the pelt of a leopard. She also wielded a snake-themed staff or scepter instead of steel daggers, and her early concept names were "Amber" and "Cobra". **Interestingly, Maya's retro costumes in KI 2013 all feature snake-themed golden ornaments on her thighs, shins, forearms and chest, in what seems to be a throwback or tribute by Iron Galaxy to Bayliss' original concept artwork. **In KI 2013, Maya will sometimes yell "Cobra!" when performing special command moves with the Vengeance dagger. *Maya's name pronunciation was anglicized (MAY-ya) in KI2. This was later fixed in Killer Instinct (2013) where her name is pronounced (MAH-ya) properly. However, if the player choose Chris Sutherland (Classic) as the announcer her name will still be anglicized like in KI2. External Links *Maya's character page at the official Killer Instinct Website *Maya's gameplay profile at Infil's The Complete Killer Instinct Guide Media *Maya's trailer - Maya's official reveal for Killer Instinct (2013) *Maya's Ultimate - First reveal of Maya's new Ultimate Combo for KI 2013 *Pink Diamond (Maya) vs. BH Thompxson (Jago) - Video compilation of pro gamer matchups with Maya (KI 2013) Category:KI2 Characters Category:Characters Category:Female Characters Category:Good Characters Category:Killer Instinct 2013 Characters